From NBC News: Can children and teenagers be forced off social media en masse? Australia is about to find out.
More than 1 million social media accounts held by users under 16 are set to be deactivated in Australia on Wednesday in a divisive world-first ban that has inflamed a culture war and is being closely watched in the United States and elsewhere.
Social media companies will have to take “reasonable steps” to ensure that under-16s in Australia cannot set up accounts on their platforms and that existing accounts are deactivated or removed.
The extreme change is touted by Australian officials who say it will protect children from addictive social media platforms that can harm their mental health.
“With one law, we can protect Generation Alpha from being sucked into purgatory by predatory algorithms described by the man who created the feature as ‘behavioral cocaine,’” Communications Minister Anika Wells said.
While many are pushing back on the ban, saying it will harm children socially, others are applauding it.
“I’ve always referred to this as the first domino, which is why they pushed back,” Julie Inman Grant, who regulates online safety as Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, said.
Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, X, Snapchat, and Reddit will be age-restricted under the law.
Read more at NBC News
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